“There are over 18 million panfishing anglers in the United States and that’s just a base of what we touch,” says Crappie Masters owner Mike Vallentine, who bought the tournament in 2013 from previous owners who started it over a decade ago.

One of Vallentine’s first sponsors was the Missouri Corn Growers, which has now led to the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) becoming a title sponsor of the tournament this year to expand the good news about ethanol even further. “With the power of the Renewable Fuels Association we continue to make that push and educate people,” said Vallentine. “We’ve taken this opportunity to bring the sport to a higher level.”